Japan has nice alcohol called sake, which a lot of people in both Japan and around the world enjoy drinking. Sake is a really interesting drink because the taste is different depending on the type of water and rice used. Also, there are many ways of enjoying sake. Let’s find out more…

What is Sake?

Sake is an alcoholic drink made from fermented rice or ‘rice-koji’. Koji is the fungus that is used in the process of fermentation. From a legal perspective, sake is also called seishu, in which the alcohol content is less than 22%. The main materials are rice, rice-koji, and water. The type of rice used to make sake is different from the kind people eat. It is called shuzo-koteki-mai, and the size of its grain bigger than that of normal rice. Also, it can be fermented more easily than normal rice.

Although water does not sound like a special ingredient, it does make up 80% of sake. Therefore, the quality of the water is very important for making a sake that tastes delicious. For this reason, all sake breweries are near to a source of good quality water. Water that contains low levels of minerals, like iron and manganese, is good for flavor. In addition, hard water can make a sharp-tasting sake.

In general, people tend to think of sake and other rice-based distilled spirits, like shochu, as Japanese sake. However, the manufacturing process is not the same. Sake is brewed through the fermentation of yeast, while shochu is distilled. Typically the alcoholic percentage of distilled spirits is 25%~30%. The alcoholic percentage of sake is under 22%, and most sake is around 15% alcohol content.

Sake can be drunk in various ways. For example, you can drink it at a wide range of temperatures. Cold sake has a fresh taste, while sake at room temperature is mild. And with hot sake, you can experience the sweet taste of rice.

Sake also contains a lot of amino acids, which can moisturize the skin. It is said that some geisha have used sake as a facial lotion before putting on their makeup. Moreover, sake improves blood circulation, so sake have a positive effect on a variety of different health conditions related to poor blood circulation. Therefore, elderly Japanese people often say sake is good for health. In fact, 60% of healthy Japanese centenarians drink a moderate amount of the sake every day. Drinking moderate amounts of sake is good, while drinking too much sake is not good for health.

The History of Sake

Sake is not the first alcoholic beverage in the world. Alcohol has been around since the dawn of civilization. The earliest form of alcohol probably came from naturally fermented fruit. Wine was first drunk by the Sumerians in Mesopotamia in 4,000 B.C. Beer is the second oldest, first appearing in Mesopotamia in 3,000 B.C. Finally, distilled spirits made their appearance in in Asia in 800 B.C., and later in ancient Greece.

As for sake, people started making it about 1,300 years ago in the Nara period (8th century). However, the people couldn’t drink it freely, but rather only during celebrations and festival rites. People prayed for a good harvest and good health. Also, people drank it to get rid of evil. They believed sake brought gods and people together. For this reason, even today Japanese people often offer sake before Buddhist and Shinto altars.

Tokkuri

The people in the Nara period drunk only cold sake because they thought sake was a holy thing. The custom of drinking hot sake didn’t begin until the Mid-Heian period (about 969-1089). In the Kamakura period (1185-1333), people started to drink sake privately, outside of festivals and religious settings. In the Muromachi period (1338-1573), the drinking of sake became even more common and generalized than before. Moreover, people began using a thin-necked bottle with a round bottom, called a tokkuri, when drinking sake. People also began to bottle sake and sell it for business.

In the Edo period(1603-1868), people started to also make sake during the winter. They discovered that making sake at low temperatures slows down the fermentation process, which results in a good taste and depth. Also, a brewing laboratory was founded in the last part of the Meiji Period(1868-1912) in order to develop faster brewing methods. Since then, Japanese people found science is essential to making sake.

Water

Clean and beautiful water is absolutely necessary for making good sake. Kyoto is called The City of Water because it has tons of water. There are some big rivers that run through the region: the Katsura River from the mountains in the west and north, the Uji River from Lake Biwa (Japan’s largest lake), and the Kizu River from Nara’s mountains in the east. These three water lines provide a great quantity of water to residents. But not only does water come from the rivers, but there is also plenty of water underground in Kyoto, around 20 billion cubic meters. That’s a lot of water, isn’t it? This is the why Kyoto is so famous for sake and has a lot of sake breweries. When you want to make sake, you need a lot of water. For example, to make two liters of sake requires forty liters of water. That is, you need twenty times the amount of water to make a single bottle of sake.

Famous Sake in Kyoto

Famous Sake in Fusimi

There are many kinds of sake in Kyoto, but the Fushimi area in the south of the region is the most renowned. This is mostly because Fushimi has been blessed with the best quality water, which comes from wells.

In Kyoto, the best quality sake is made from the Iwai variety of rice, which grows in the Kyoto region. Iwai is a premium variety of rice that is ideal for making sake. The taste is dry, but offers the taste and smell of rice. So you want to experience Kyoto-style sake, we recommend that you try a bottle made in Fushimi from Iwai rice.

As you can see, sake is a really interesting Japanese beverage. It has the long history and is very traditional. And as Kyoto is the center of ancient Japanese culture, it is the best place to learn about and experience the tradition of sake. Once you visit a Kyoto sake factory, you will undoubtedly by hooked on sake. Then, you will find your favorite one.

Our travel dairy: Fukakusa’s loves story

We visited Fukakusa to see Fushimi-inari shrine. It is very famous shrine, so people visited to there from around the world. People visit to see many Torii. Torii separates gods and humans. Torii looks like shrine gate made of wood, the color is bright red. Fushimi-inari shrine is the main shrine of all the inari shrines in Japan. Other Famous place is Fuji-no-mori shrine, it has to with Japanese emperor Tenno. This shrine is famous Ajisai festival and the god is known for having luck in games, so people visit this shrine. When we visited this shrine, we saw may beautiful Ajisai. Ajisai is one of the flower in summer. Next place was main the temple for this trip. This temple is Gonjo-ji temple. Gonjo-ji temple is has to with our report.

Fukakusa’s love story

The place we visited is called Fukakusa. It is called Fukakusa because a long time ago, a person named Shosho-Fukakusa lived there. He loved Onono Komachi. She was most beautiful woman in Japan in Heian period. He loved her, but she didn’t love him, so she got an idea. The idea was very simple, he met her every night for 100 days. Her house and his house were far away. The distance was about 7 km, but he would like her to be his wife, so he met her every night. First day, second day, 97th day 98th day 99th day, he met her with peanuts. On the 100th night, she waited for him. However, didn’t come. That day he died because of heavy snow. The next day she found out that he died. She was very sad, so she was planted his nuts in her village. Later the nut grew and the tree is believed to be 1,000 years old.

Gonjo-ji temple

Gonjo-ji temple is a very important place. This is where Fukakusa lived. There is a pond and this pond is where he looked at himself. There is a big Buddha in this temple, and Fukakusa and Komachi are buried here. Her house was in Yamashina. Yamashina is a town on the border of Kyoto and Shiga, so her house and his house were far away. However when she heard that he died, she was very sad. Therefore when she died, she was buried in this temple.

Gekkeikan (月桂冠) is one of the most famous brands of sake, or rice wine, in Japan. The Gekkeikan brand is the result of a very long history; the Gekkeikan company has been brewing sake for more than 370 years in the southern part of Kyoto in area known as Fushimi.

Fushimi is an ideal place for sake brewing because of its natural environment. Appropriate temperatures and good-quality water are required to brew sake. In Fushimi, both of these important factors exist.

The city of Kyoto is set in a basin, surrounded by mountains on the north, east and west. These mountains keep Kyoto very chilly in wintertime. A cool temperature of around 5℃ is important to mature sake in a brewery. So cold winter temperatures created by Kyoto’s natural basin is why sake brewing became so deeply rooted here.

Photo 1. The Gokougu spring

Also, especially in Fushimi, there is a lot of high-quality groundwater that has been there since ancient times. One day in the Heian period (794-1185), rare and fragrant spring water started flowing out at a shrine in Fushimi. It was christened “Gokougu” (御香宮, see Photo 1.),by the Imperial Court. This water was soft and full of rich minerals. Sake made from this groundwater felt really smooth on the tongue.

Photo 2. Large casks

Sake used to be matured in huge wooden barrels (see Photo 2). Unfortunately, these are no longer used and sake fermentation is controlled by computers now.

Photo 3. Gekkeikan Sake Kobo

However, today it is still possible to see the casks and a traditional brewery, which was built in 1906, at the Gekkeikan Okura Kinenkan(月桂冠大倉記念館),which is where the Gekkeikan Memorial Hall is located. This brewery is named Gekkeikan Sake Kobo(月桂冠酒香房, see Photo 3). Here, we are able to see the process of sake– making throughout the year. At this brewery, 40 kiloliters of sake are brewed per year even now.

The Process of Making Sake

The traditional way of making sake is so complicated, however I will explain in a simple and concise way now.

STEP 1. Wash the rice

→ The grade of sake often depends upon the percentage of polished rice that is used. The rice grain husks are removed to make polished rice.

Casks for washing rice

STEP 2. Steam the rice

→The rice is steamed for around one hour.

Container for steaming

STEP 3. Making moromi (醪), the sake mash

→ Steamed rice, koji (rice mixed with the micro-organism aspergillus oryze), yeast, and water are put into barrels (see photo 2) and the mixture is allowed to ferment for 20~30 days. Koji helps turn the rice starch into sugar content; yeast helps to turn the sugar content into alcohol.

STEP4. Squeezing the sake mash

→ Moromi is put in a bag and squeezed by a big press. From this process sake gains a smooth texture.

Tool for squeezing sake

STEP5. Fermenting the sake

→ The sake is then is fermented for one year or more.

Kinds of Sake

More than 50 kinds of sake are sold by Gekkeikan. Each of them tastes a little different. It is fun of to try many different kinds in order to find your favorite one. Below are two kinds of sake and one plum wine made by Gekkeikan. It is possible to sample these at the Gekkeikan Okura Kinenkan(月桂冠大倉記念館).

Tamanoizumi Daiginjo NamaChozosyu(玉の泉 大吟醸生貯蔵酒)

Daiginjo means top-quality sake brewed at low temperatures from rice grains milled to 50 percent of weight or less. It is a really fresh and fruity taste. It is better to drink it well chilled.

Ginjosyu (吟醸酒, 甘口/slightly sweet taste)

Ginjo means high-quality sake brewed at low temperatures from rice grains milled to 60 percent of weight or less. This is a good, full-bodied sake. The label and shape of the light blue bottle in this picture is a retro design.

Plum wine

This wine, or umeshu in Japanese, has a delicate taste and flavor of plum. Many plum wines are served as an apertif.

Access

The Gekkeikan Okura Kinenkan(月桂冠大倉記念館) is in Fushimi ward in southern Kyoto. It is a 5 to 7-minute walk from Chushojima Station on the Keihan Line. Or it is a 10 to 15-minute walk from Momoyama Goryo-mae Station on the Kintetsu Kyoto Line. >> Access Map

It is open from 9:30-4:30PM. And it is closed over New Year holidays and the O-Bon Festival in mid-August.

History

Daigo-ji is a very famous and important temple of the Shingon sect of Buddhism in Fushimi-ku, to the southeast of Kyoto City. It was made a world heritage site by UNESCO, due to its wealth of national treasures and its historic importance.

This temple was founded in 874 by a Buddhist monk named Shobo, who, upon his death became known as Rigen Daishi (Great Master of Holy Treasures.) Shobo worshipped a local god here at Kamidaigo Mountain, and the simple hermitage he constructed was later to grow into the complex of temples known as Daigo-ji. This expansion came through the patronage of the imperial family, and notably the Emperor Daigo, who in 930 entered the priesthood after sickness forced him to abdicate. A very pious man, he was buried in the temple grounds just a few hours after he entered the temple as a monk, having taken the name Hokongo. Subsequent emperors, Suzaku and Murakami, also supported the development and expansion of the complex, with most of the main buildings being built in the 10th century.
The temple complex at Daigo-ji is spread out over two levels. The Kami Daigo is the upper level, and the Shimo Daigo the lower level. The five-storey pagoda here is a national treasure, and the oldest surviving building in Kyoto Prefecture, being built in the year 951. Kondo, the main hall at Daigo-ji, was originally built in 904, but arsonists set fire to it, resulting in its destruction in 1295. The present building was actually relocated from Mangan-ji, another temple in Wakayama Prefecture, and reconstructed on this site. One other great attraction at this temple, along with Sanbo-in, is the exquisite small temple building Benten-do, which sits serenely above the pond here, casting a majestic reflection on the still waters.

Along with many other temples in Kyoto, Daigo-ji was heavily damaged during the Onin War period between 1467 and 1477. However, much later, Toyotomi Hideyoshi pledged tremendous financial support, as well as personal involvement, in restoring Daigo-ji to its former greatness.

Sanbo-in

Built in 1115 by Shokaku, Sanbo-in is located in the central part of the Daigo-ji complex, and is the place where generations of Buddhist monks have traditionally resided. In Sanbo-in, the architectural detail is generally arranged for a specific purpose. A very good example is the main drawing room, Omoteshoin, which overlooks the whole garden. The design and aspects of this room are typical of the style of the Momoyama and Heian periods, when Shinden-zukuri, or mansion style architecture, was first introduced. This Omoteshoin is specified as a national treasure. The garden of Sanbo-in is also the garden that Hideyoshi Toyotomi designed himself for the grand ‘Hanami of Daigo’, a legendary flower viewing party.

Highlights

Aoi no ma (The Aoi Room)

Kyoto has three major festivals; the Aoi Matsuri, the Gion Matsuri, and the Jidai Matsuri. Depictions of the Aoi Matsuri are represented in paintings in this room.

Akikusa no ma (The Akikusa Room)

Landscapes presenting scenes with good examples of foliage that typify and illustrate the season of fall adorn this room.

The Chokushi room (Chamber for Receiving Imperial Messengers)

Images of a bamboo forest with flowers and birds are painted on the sliding doors in this room. The paintings are Momoyama period pieces, and are said to be the work of the Hasegawa group.

Karamon (Chinese Gate)

This stunning entrance, built in the Momoyama period, was intended for use as an envoy gate, said only to be opened when a messenger from the Imperial Court arrived. The entire gate was decorated in black Japanese lacquer work, with four large gilded crests of chrysanthemum and paulownia in kinpaku (gold leaf.)

Kamo no sanseki

These are three rare shaped stones in front of the pond here, each offering a different representation or meaning. The left stone expresses ‘rapid flow’, the middle stone ‘still water’, and the right ‘interrupted flow’.

Okushinden

Okushinden was built at the beginning of the Edo period. In this room, there is a fine example of ‘Chigaidana’, or staggered shelves, named “Daigodana”. The Daigodana is considered one of the three major works of shelves in the whole country, along with the Kasumitana of the Shugakuin Imperial Villa, and the Katsuratana of the Katsura Imperial Villa.

omikuji (a written fortune telling)

Hideyoshi Toyotomi & Hanami (Flower Viewing)

The viewing of flowers is a traditional and time-honored event in Japan, and this temple is particularly famous for its cherry blossoms. So much so, that there is actually a well-known phrase, “Flower Viewing of Daigo” in Japan. In 1598, Hideyoshi Toyotomi held a monumental flower viewing party in this temple, which became known as the largest flower-viewing event in history. He personally designed and landscaped a special garden in the environs of Daigo-ji Temple for this affair, and reformed and rebuilt the temple on a larger scale to include it within Sanbo-in. In spring, many kinds of flowers bloom here, along with the approximately 700 cherry trees that were planted for the hanami spectacular, for example, varieties such as Kawazu-zakura, Shidare-zakura, Someiyoshino, Yama-zakura, Yae-zakura, Obeni-shidare, and Oyama-zakura. It is possible to see the blossoms of these trees from around the last ten days of March to the first ten days of April. It is said that Hideyoshi invited many people to the big event: his legal wife, noblemens’ concubines, 1300 ladies of the house, his son Hideyori, a high ranking feudal lord, Toshiie Maeda, and many more dignitaries. For this major occasion, the women changed clothes at least three times, and eight teahouses were constructed around the site to cater for guests. The women could also take a bath in some of the teahouses, if they so wished. Hideyoshi died five years after this, but he certainly added to his legacy with this party.

Today, an event to commemorate this is held on the second Tuesday of April each year. The main attraction is ‘The Grand Procession’ (hotaikou-hanami gyouretsu). Selected people dress up as famous historical figures, like Hideyoshi, etc, and march in this procession. However, you will not see any samurai in armor or with warrior’s helmets. Instead, they wear loud, party type clothing for viewing the flowers and blossoms. If you go along, you can enjoy both the procession and the gorgeous blossoms. It is truly a case of killing two birds with one stone.
Many events are held at this temple, and it is possible to witness and enjoy a variety of scenes throughout the four seasons. I’d like to seriously recommend you visit here and enjoy one of the very best traditional Japanese events, “Hanami.”

by Yumi Moriya
Japanese sake tells us much about Japanese history and culture. Kyoto is very famous for sake because Kyoto has very clear water, so there have been many sake companies since ancient times, especially in Fushimi in the south part of Kyoto. Learning about Japanese sake is a good way to know about Japanese food culture. Also recently many people have tried to revive “slow food” in Japan. Japanese dishes are very healthy, and they go with sake very well, and Japanese sake is good for our health too.
At first, Japanese sake has a long history in Kyoto. In ancient times in Japan, sake was used for festivals and parties, but chiefly it was for the Japanese gods because sake is recognized as a pure drink. Of course, the people also enjoyed drinking Japanese sake at festivals because they believed that it was the will of the gods to share food and drink with the gods at festivals.
Still now, in Kyoto, each festival often has sake, and people enjoy festivals even more by drinking.
In Kyoto, there are two shrines which are famous for Japanese sake. Matsuo-taisha and Umemiya-taisha are shrines located in the east of Kyoto near Arashiyama. At Matsuo-taisha there is a god, called “Ooyamano-kuino-kami,” who is also well-known as a god of thunder, water, and agriculture. Every year in April, Matsuo-taisha holds a thanksgiving festival for the god, called “Chu-yuu-sai.” People pray for a rich harvest and the success of sake in the year. On the other hand, at Umemiya-taisha, there are the gods of Japanese sake called “Ooyamano-tsumino-kami” and “Kamuadatsu-hime.” When you go to these shrines,
you will find many barrels of sake because many sake companies offer them as thanks to the gods every year. Recently Japanese sake has experienced a revival in Japan because of its effects on our health, so sake is in the spotlight now. It is said that sake is effective in helping high blood pressure and allergies and as a beauty treatment.
Sometimes, people add sake to the bath for their skin because it will help our skin stay moist and warm. Japanese sake is not only for drinking, but also for a healthy life.
As I said before, Fushimi is well-known as the place where much good sake is made. There are over 30 sake companies in Fushimi because the water suits the making of sake well. Especially, sake made in Fushimi is appreciated by many people because the taste is sweeter than other sake, so it is easy to drink.
This is because the water in Fushimi, considered some of the best water in Japan, contains potassium and calcium. What’s more the traditional way of making sake results in the perfect Japanese sake.
Now there are some museums of sake in Fushimi where we can enjoy tasting sake, and we can learn the history of Japanese sake. I am sure that you can have a good time there because you can experience history of sake in the raw.
At last, I hope that people from other countries come to know about Japanese sake and love it because Japanese people are proud of sake. I believe that Japanese sake cannot be outdone by any other sake. It will reveal to you the depth of its history and also the history of Kyoto. Please enjoy drinking sake with the nice view in Kyoto.